


Of Fear and Nightmares

by ForeverAnimated92



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, Baby Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Character Study, Domestic Fluff, Don't worry, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Like Of The Tooth-Rotting Variety, One Shot, Post TTM, Rayla Needs a Hug (The Dragon Prince), Romance, Timeskips, but there's a happy ending, ttm spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27919891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForeverAnimated92/pseuds/ForeverAnimated92
Summary: Rayla is prone to bad dreams.OR the four times Rayla is confronted with nightmares, and the one time she helps someone else cope.A post-TTM oneshot fic. Contains spoilers!
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 54





	Of Fear and Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> So this fic has been in the works for a while now - at least since October. It's mostly been a way for me to help process my feelings after Through the Moon. (Which btw, there are spoilers for. You've been warned.) And it's also a chance for me to explore more of Rayla's character, and what drives her to make the decisions that she makes.
> 
> It's your classic hurt/comfort with a touch of angst. But don't worry, Rayllum fans. This one ends happily. I promise.
> 
> Enjoy!

_“Slow down, little one,” Ethari said with a chuckle, “You’ll trip and fall if you’re not careful.”_

_Rayla was too excited to heed her guardian’s warning. She clambered up the grassy hill as fast as her little legs could carry her._

_“C’mon, c’mon! We’re almost there!” She shouted back down at the group of adults who were trailing behind her._

_Today was a very special day for Rayla. She had just turned seven years old. To celebrate, Ethari and Runaan had taken the whole day off to do whatever she wanted. Even better, her parents had made an unexpected return to the Silvergrove, just in time for her birthday. Rayla could barely believe it when she opened to the door to their smiling faces. Their Dragonguard duties usually kept them so busy that they rarely ever had time to visit. But here they were._

_So today Rayla had decided that she would show them her favorite place in the whole wide world. The adoraburr meadow. She couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when she introduced them to all her little friends._

_“We’re here!” Rayla exclaimed as her parents and guardians made their way up the small hill and into the sunlit clearing._

_“I guess we are!” Lain laughed. He crouched down to meet his daughter’s face. “What was it you wanted to show us, my little moonbeam?”_

_“My new friends!” Rayla proclaimed. She turned and dashed into the meadow, diving for the ground. She let out an excited squeal as the happy little balls of fluff emerged from the tall grass and instantly began to cling to her limbs. She giggled as she pulled herself up, grinning down at the little creatures who cheerfully squeaked back at her._

_“Do you like ‘em?” Rayla turned around to show off her adoraburr-covered arms and legs to Runaan, Ethari, and her parents. She expected them to oooh and ahhh over her magical woodland buddies._

_Instead, she was met with an empty field and silence. Tiadrin, Lain, Ethari, and Runaan were nowhere to be found. The little moonshadow elf frowned._

_“Mom? Dad?”_

_No answer._

_“Ethari? Runaan?”_

_Suddenly, all the adoraburrs on Rayla’s arms and legs started to scatter, their inquisitive squeaks replaced with scared whimpers as they darted back into the tall grass._

_Rayla scrambled to her feet. She called out for her parents and guardians again, but to no avail. She was the only elf there._

_Without warning, a distant but loud crash of thunder boomed. Rayla looked up and saw that the sky had darkened. She could hear the wind howling through the trees. A few drops of rain pelted her skin._

_She surveyed the meadow again frantically. Her family was still nowhere to be found._

_Blinking back tears, Rayla cried out once more. “Mom! Dad! Ethari! Runaan! Where are you?!”_

_The sky was getting darker by the second, and now the rain had begun to pour. The welcoming meadow inexplicably started to shift into a creepy forest. The trees began to grow and twist, their roots expanding outward and covering the ground around her. She cried out in terror._

_“Help! I’m scared!”_

_She was frozen in place as the roots of the trees began to creep towards her. Before she had a chance to react, they lurched forward and began coiling around her body._

_“Help! Someone, anyone! HELP!”_

Rayla jolted out of her sleep with a gasp. She sat up in bed, blinking as she took in her surroundings. She was no longer in the middle of the dark, creepy forest. She was in her bedroom in the Silvergrove. The tree roots that had coiled up around her were just her blankets, twisted and wrapped around her little body like a cocoon.

It was just a dream. A bad dream. 

But it felt so real.

Rayla’s lip quivered as her mind started to drift back to the haunting images of her nightmare - the stormy sky, the scary forest, and the twisty trees. But the worst part of all of it was the desperation she felt when she couldn’t find her family. She didn’t know what had happened to them. And she had been all alone. 

It was really scary.

She wanted nothing more than to leave her bed and find Runaan and Ethari, like she usually did when she had nightmares. Runaan would tell her that it was all a dream, and dreams couldn’t hurt her, because they weren’t real. And Ethari would smile, scoop her up into a hug, kiss her on the cheek, and bring her back to her bed to tuck her in, safe and sound.

Rayla was just about to hop out of bed and seek out her guardians, when she paused. She was being silly! After all, she wasn’t a little baby anymore. She was seven years old now. Practically a grown-up.

She remembered what Runaan had told her when they went out on their trips together. He’d taught her a lot of cool stuff about surviving out in nature - how to find shelter, how to stay hidden and move without being spotted, which berries were poisonous and which were safe to eat. But one of the things she remembered the most was what he told her about being brave.

_“Remember, Rayla, there’s a lot of scary things in this world. But you must never let fear have a hold on you.”_

She remembered him pointing up at the night sky.

 _“Look at the moon,”_ he said _, “It shines bright even in the midst of darkness. We Moonshadow elves are the same. We never show fear. We stand tall and proud. We are brave.”_ He smiled down at her. _“You are brave, Rayla. You have a strong spirit. You must remember that. Remember to be brave.”_

Rayla felt tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. She sniffled, hugging her knees to her chest

No, she wouldn’t wake up Runaan and Ethari over a silly dream. She was going to be brave, like Runaan said. And Moonshadow elves never gave in to fear.

She wiped her cheeks and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She would not give in to fear. She would be brave.

Rayla laid her head back down against her pillow, pulling the blankets up around her neck.

She would put those scary dream images out of her mind for now.

At least, she would _try_ …

\--Nine Years Later --

_She had been here before. She would never forget it._

_It was the same shadowy cavern with the same chill in the air. In front of her stood three large frozen pillars._

_Her pulse quickened. She knew what was inside. But still, she had to check._

_She darted forward to the one furthest away from her. It was the one she always ran to now._

_Rayla brushed her hand across the frosty surface, revealing what was inside. Her stomach clenched._

_“Callum!” She cried, seeing his lifeless body encased in the ice._

_And then, something different happened. His eyes snapped open._

_She jerked back, startled by the sudden movement. He was … alive somehow? And now he was reaching out to her from within the ice._

_“C-Callum?” Her hand reached out to touch the icy pillar, a thousand questions racing through her mind. Could he truly be okay? Could she save him somehow?_

_Before she could ponder on any of these, Callum’s face suddenly contorted in pain. She heard his muffled cries from within the frozen prison. Then, without warning, the pillar of ice shattered into a million pieces. She watched in horror as it crashed to the ground, leaving nothing but Viren’s evil face glaring back at her. She jumped back, hearing the dark mage’s low, threatening voice echo in her mind._

_“You can’t save him. You never could.”_

Rayla sat up suddenly with a gasp, heart pounding in her chest until she remembered where she was.

She was back in Xadia, having just crossed over the border a few days ago. Right now, she had set up camp on a hillside overlooking a nearby Earthblood elf village. And by “setting up camp,” she meant she had set out her cloak on the ground to use as a bedroll.

Rayla shivered, a chill settling in her bones. And it wasn’t from the night air, which was pleasantly warm. It was from the nightmare that she just couldn’t seem to shake.

What was wrong with her? She had thought that once she had set off on this quest to find Viren, the recurring nightmares would eventually subside. 

But they hadn’t. They had continued. And they were only getting worse.

Her mind flashed back to the image of Callum, writhing in pain and screaming out for her, before he shattered into a million pieces. She had felt so helpless. There was nothing she could do to help him. She couldn’t ease the pain. She couldn’t stop the ice from breaking. She couldn’t save him.

Blinking back tears, Rayla sighed and flopped back down on her crumpled cloak. Her thoughts drifted back to Callum. It had been over a week since she left him at the Moon Nexus. She wondered where he was and what he was doing. What had gone through his mind that morning when he discovered that she was gone? 

She didn’t want to think about it. She had done what she thought was right, after all.

But now she wasn’t so sure.

_“You can’t save him. You never could.”_

That’s why she had left. To protect him. She was on a dangerous mission - something she needed to do - and she wasn’t about to put him in harm’s way. She was trying to save him.

But what if she couldn’t?

Rayla couldn’t fight the tears any longer. She curled up into a ball and sobbed into her cloak.

All her life she tried to be brave. To not show any fear. She knew she shouldn’t let these nightmares shake her. They weren’t real after all.

But they had shaken her. She’d felt that fear very deeply, and she had given in to it.

Because the idea of something happening to Callum … well, that thought terrified her to her core.

She took a few calming breaths and tried to reason with herself. These nightmares clearly weren’t going away any time soon. It was all the more reason why she needed to find Viren and put a stop to this once and for all.

If she could do that - if she could ensure that Callum would be safe - perhaps these nightmares would finally end. 

So that’s what she could do. She’d save him. Or die trying.

\-- A Few Months Later --

“So … you left me.”

Rayla sighed, avoiding Callum’s gaze. They had reunited only a short while ago, and things were … awkward at best. She, Callum, Ezran, and Soren were together again, unified by a common goal which required her to put her hunt for Viren aside, at least for the moment.

She now found herself alone with Callum, and she could tell she was about to get an earful.

“Callum, I…” She paused, not knowing what to say. What could she even begin to say?

“You left me,” Callum repeated, “On the night before my birthday.”

Rayla’s violet eyes widened. 

No. She didn’t. 

Did she?

She ran through the dates in her head and realized that the timing _did_ add up. He was right. She had been so distracted with everything going on at the Moon Nexus that she had forgotten.

“Oh no,” she said softly, “Callum, I … I forgot.”

“You know, that wasn’t even the worst part,” he chuckled sardonically, “The worst part was that you never said a word. You _promised_ me we would do this together. And then you just took off without saying goodbye.”

Rayla sighed heavily, hanging her head in shame. Maybe, if this were a few months earlier, she would’ve fought back with just as much anger. She would have told him that she had no choice, that she knew he would follow him, and that it was all she could do to keep him safe. 

But she stayed quiet. The months had taken a toll on her, haunting her with the same recurring nightmare over and over again as the search for Viren remained fruitless. It had taken the fight out of her.

She deserved this. He was angry, and he had every right to be. 

“Why, Rayla?” he asked suddenly, “Why’d you do it?”

“I told you in my letter,” she explained, “I knew you’d insist on comin’ with me, and I couldn’t risk that.”

“You couldn’t risk what?” he snapped.

“I couldn’t risk you gettin’ hurt!” she cried, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

She saw him soften just a little at the waver in her voice. He continued, still clearly upset, but also a little less angry.

“What makes you think I’d get hurt?” he questioned, “I know I’m not some back-flippin’, tree-climbin’ assassin like you are, but I know magic. And I’ve been learning more and more every day. You saw me learn the mage wings spell and reopen the Moon Nexus portal. Did you think I couldn’t hold my own?”

“You think I doubted your _abilities_?” she asked, “Callum, of course not! I’ve seen your magic. I know your potential. That’s not it.”

“Then what was it? What on earth would make you decide that it was best to go alone?”

Rayla paused, turning her head away to avoid Callum’s intense stare. She closed her eyes and exhaled. There was so much she wanted to say, but she didn’t know if she could - or should - say any of it.

She took a seat on the ground, hugging her knees as she wrestled with her thoughts.

“Rayla?” Callum’s voice was softer than it had been. He made a move to sit down next to her, and she suddenly felt his hand on her arm. She let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding. Regardless of the circumstances, she couldn’t deny that it felt good to have him close again, and his comforting gesture was something that she didn’t realize she had been missing until now.

“Rayla, what is it?” he urged gently, “You can tell me.”

Her violet eyes met his deep emerald green ones. She took a deep breath and began.

“This is gonna sound crazy,” she started.

“I mean, all of this has been pretty crazy already,” he said with a bitter laugh, “Maybe if you tell me, it won’t seem so crazy after all.”

She sighed. Here goes nothing.

“I’ve been havin’ these … dreams. Well, nightmares really. They started not long after we arrived back in Katolis. After the search for Viren’s body turned up nothing.”

Callum frowned. “So _that’s_ why you had trouble sleeping?”

“Yeah,” she admitted.

“What kinda nightmares?”

She shuddered. “They’re awful, Callum.”

Rayla explained everything to him. She told him about the dark cavern and the pillars of ice with Runaan, her parents, and him trapped inside. She told him about Viren’s evil face and voice taunting her. She told him how the nightmares had continued, even after she had set out on her search. And how, for the past few months, they’d continued to haunt her, without end.

She could feel the tears flowing freely down her face as she finished. Before she could react, she felt herself being pulled into Callum’s arms.

“Rayla, I’m so, so sorry that you’ve been having these terrible dreams.” She buried her face into his shoulder, and she felt him rub her back in slow, circular motions. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

She sniffled. “I don’t know. I guess it’s because I knew they weren’t real.” She pulled away to look him in the eyes. His face was filled with concern, and he brought his hand up to caress her cheek. “It’s silly to be afraid of somethin’ that’s not real. But I was.”

“There’s nothing silly about that,” he reassured, “Those dreams sound like they’d absolutely terrify me too.”

“I know, but it’s different for you,” she explained, “All my life I’ve been trained not to show fear. How could I let somethin’ that’s obviously not real shake me up so bad?”

“Because it felt real,” Callum offered, “Because as much as you want to push those feelings away, you can’t. The dreams may not be real, but the fear is.”

“Maybe,” Rayla conceded. 

They paused for a moment. Rayla wasn’t really sure what to say. It did make sense that, despite the dreams not being real, she would still continue to feel the very real fear of losing someone she cared about. Because that’s what had happened to her. She lost her parents and Runaan. She didn’t know when she’d see Ethari again, or even if she’d see him again, depending on whether or not the Silvergrove residents decided to undo the ghosting ritual.

She had lost so many people she cared about. And now she cared about Callum. If she lost him, she was pretty sure it would break her completely.

“Rayla,” Callum spoke up after the long moment of silence, “I understand why you felt you had to leave. I’m still really upset though. And I wish you had told me about your nightmares.”

“I wish I had too,” she confessed.

They paused again, both unsure of what to say. They clearly still had so much they needed to work through. Rayla wasn’t sure about where to go from here. She had been starting to think that she’d never see him again, after all. She’d come to grips with the fact that the dreams would never leave her until she’d completed her mission. And had begun to believe that this mission would likely be her last. But all would be worth it if she could keep Callum safe. Even if it meant he would never forgive her for how she left him.

But now, seeing him again after all this time … it complicated things. Would she have the heart to leave him again? As awkward as things were, Rayla was so relieved to see that he was okay. And being here with him, telling him about her nightmares and being comforted by him … it felt right. 

Callum pulled her back into his arms again. Yes, they still had so much to talk about, and she had decisions that she needed to make. But she’d have to figure all that out later. Right now, she was content with just being here.

And maybe, just maybe, things would be okay.

\-- Over A Year Later --

“Rayla! Rayla, wake up!”

Rayla's eyes snapped open and she lurched forward, her forehead almost colliding with Callum’s worried face. He had a hand on her shoulder and was leaning over onto her bedroll. 

“Huh, what?” She asked breathlessly, as Callum reached for her hands.

“Are you okay?” His voice was full of concern. “It sounded like you were having a really intense dream.”

“Y-yeah.” She tried to catch her breath as her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

The images from her nightmare began to come back to her. It was all so vivid and felt so real. So awful.

“Oh Callum, you’re okay!” She flung her arms around him and pulled him forward, burying her face in his chest. He stumbled a little, surprised by her sudden reaction, but quickly steadied himself. He wrapped his arms around her, eagerly returning her embrace.

“Yeah, I’m here, Rayla. I’m okay. You’re okay.” He brought his hand up to the back of her head, gently caressing her soft, silvery-white hair. “Ezran’s okay. Zym’s okay. Bait’s okay. Everyone’s okay.”

She chuckled softly against his chest. “Bait too, huh?”

He smiled. “Just covering all the bases.”

She sighed contentedly, enjoying the warmth of his arms. Especially after the dream she just had. The thought of it made Rayla start to tear up. She wouldn’t have known what to do if any of it had been real. 

But he was okay. Her big dumb human was okay.

Rayla pulled back slowly, her lilac gaze meeting his. Callum frowned when he saw the tears in her eyes. He brought his hand up to cup her face, his thumb softly wiping away the single tear that was running down her cheek.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

She nodded. There had been a time, not that long ago, when Rayla would have considered whether or not she should tell Callum about her nightmare. She might have even decided to keep it to herself. But they were well beyond that point in their relationship now.

“It was about Aaravos,” Rayla explained.

She could feel Callum tense up at the mention of the Startouch elf’s name. It was only a few months ago that they had all gone up against the powerful mage. After being locked away in his magical prison for centuries, Aaravos finally had what he needed to cross back into their world again. And this time, he was even more powerful than the legends made him seem.

It had been the fight of their lives. There were so many close calls. Too many. Their lives had been in danger on more than one occasion. After a particularly harrowing moment, Rayla was almost certain that she had lost Callum forever. Of course, he had not only pulled through, but he also saved the day, casting the final spell that resulted in Aaravos’ defeat, once and for all.

That’s what led them to where they were now - in the middle of Xadia, on a diplomatic mission. With the threat of Aaravos gone, peace was now finally being realized. Best of all, with her parents and Runaan freed from the coins, all the people that Rayla loved were finally safe at last. 

But that’s not how it went down in Rayla’s nightmare.

“It was the same as it had been on that day, except...” Rayla paused, her gaze dropping to the ground.

“Except … what?”

“You didn’t make it,” she whispered solemnly.

“Oh Rayla,” Callum said tenderly, taking her hands in his and squeezing them gently. “That sounds awful.”

“It was,” she admitted with a sniffle, “I … I was scared.”

He brought her hands up to his lips, planting a soft kiss on each of them.

“Well, I’m okay. It all turned out okay. And I’m here, Rayla.” He smiled as he met her gaze. “I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

She smiled back. “Promise?”

“I promise.” He gave her hands another squeeze.

Rayla’s eyes locked on his. Slowly, she leaned forward and closed the distance between them. Their kiss was chaste, but soft and reassuring.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the night air and the soft sounds of the crickets and the wind through the trees. After a minute or two, Callum spoke, his voice still barely above a whisper.

“Well, we’ve got a big day tomorrow. I guess we should get back to sleep, huh?”

Rayla didn’t answer. She knew he was right, but the thought of going back to sleep after having such a terrifying dream didn’t seem all that appealing to her. She glanced back at Callum’s bedroll. Why was it so far away? 

“Rayla?” Callum interrupted her thoughts. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah, sorry. I guess I just kinda zoned a bit.”

“Do you want me to stay up with you a bit longer?” he offered.

“No. You’re right. We do need sleep.” She paused, unsure of how to convey what she wanted. “I - I guess I just…”

“What?” he prodded gently.

“Would … would you sleep with me?”

“Oh, uh…” Rayla watched as Callum’s face turned several shades of red. He brought his hand to the back of his neck and was suddenly looking at everything except her. “R-Rayla, I don’t think that - um, I mean - I don’t think we’re quite ready for -”

“No!” She shouted quickly, blushing when she realized where his mind had ended up, “I didn’t mean that, ya dummy!”

“Oh, o-okay. Phew!” He sighed in relief. “So, uh, what did you mean?”

Rayla looked up at him shyly. “I just want ya close by tonight. Y’know, in case I have that dream again.” She gestured over to his bedroll and then patted the ground beside her. “Would you come sleep next to me?”

Callum smiled softly, his green eyes glowing in adoration. “Of course, Ray,” he said, leaning over and kissing her forehead. He then stood up and moved to drag his bedroll over until it was about two feet away from Rayla. “This okay?” he asked.

Rayla smirked. Callum was too cute, trying so hard to be respectful and considerate.

“I mean, it’s okayyy….” She shrugged her shoulders before throwing him a playful glance. “But how am I gonna be able to cuddle with you?”

“Ohhh,” Callum murmured in realization. He pushed his bedroll even closer. “Better?” he asked.

“Much.” Rayla reclined back onto her sleeping mat, watching with a contented smile as Callum slid down next to her. Once he had settled in, she scooted herself toward him, snuggling her head into his chest. She grinned as she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her even closer to him.

“Mmm, now this is much better,” she sighed happily, letting her eyes drift close.

“Good,” he whispered. She could hear the smile in his voice. He kissed the top of her head gently. “Goodnight, Rayla. Sweet dreams this time.”

“Sweet dreams, Callum.”

\-- Many Years Later --

Rayla blinked, startled awake by … something. She sat up in bed and squinted into the darkness, listening keenly for whatever had disturbed her slumber. There was a soft creak, followed by the pitter patter of very small feet. Rayla turned, her eyes darting to their adjoining door, which had been opened.

“Mommy?” A timid voice called out.

“I’m here, Sarai,” Rayla answered. Her eyes had now adjusted to the darkness, and she could see her five year-old daughter standing in the doorway. “What happened? Are you okay?”

The little girl scampered over toward her side of bed, while Rayla felt Callum shift next to her.

“I - I had a bad dream, Mommy,” Sarai cried, clutching her small plush banther to her chest.

“Oh, sweetheart. It’s okay.” Rayla spoke in a soothing tone, reaching down to brush her daughter’s soft brown hair away from her tear-filled violet eyes. 

“Huh?” Rayla turned her head and saw Callum sit up and rub his eyes. “Rayla? Is everything okay?” he asked groggily.

“It’s okay, Callum,” Rayla reassured her husband, “Sarai just had a bad dream.” She turned back to her daughter, while Callum lit a candle on his bedside table. “C’mere, sweetie.” Rayla scooted over and motioned for Sarai to sit next to her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

The little half-elf nodded, plopping down on the bed. Rayla ran her fingers through her daughter’s hair as she talked. 

“It was really scary,” Sarai sniffed, “I - I was outside with you, Daddy, and Uncle Ezran and we were all havin’ a picnic. It was a lotta fun. But then, this big scary monster showed up with really big teeth and a loud roar. And I turned around and - and…” Sarai’s lip started to quiver. “And you weren’t there. You and Daddy and Uncle Ezran were all gone, and I couldn’t find you. And the monster started chasing me. And he caught me. And then I woke up.” Sarai’s eyes squeezed shut, and she let out a little sob as the tears started flowing down.

“Oh my little moonbeam,” Rayla soothed, calling her daughter by her affectionate nickname, “It’s okay.” She pulled Sarai in for a hug, rubbing her back reassuringly. Callum, now fully awake, joined in on the hug as well.

“We would never let anything happen to you, Sary,” Callum reassured, “No big monster will ever get our little princess.”

“That’s right,” Rayla agreed. She broke the hug and used the edge of her nightgown to wipe away her daughter’s tears. “Between Mommy’s swords and Daddy’s magic, that mean ol’ monster won’t stand a chance.”

“Yeah! And maybe Uncle Ezran could use his super cool powers to talk to the monster,” Callum added, “And maybe we’d find out that the monster was friendly all along, and he just thought we were all playing tag.”

Sarai seemed to brighten a little. “R-really? He could be a nice monster?” she asked.

“He could be,” Rayla said.

Sarai’s little smile started to falter suddenly. “But - but what if you and Uncle Ezran aren’t there?”

“Hey, that’s not gonna happen, Sary.” Callum reached past Rayla to give his daughter’s hand a gentle squeeze. “We love you so much, and we will always protect you for as long as we live.”

Rayla’s heart swelled. Callum was so sweet with their little girl. Still, there was something else that she needed to say.

“That’s right, sweetheart,” Rayla added, her hand caressing Sarai’s shoulder, “And even if, for some reason, we can’t be there with you in person … as long as you love us and keep us in your heart, we will always be there with you.”

Her little girl looked up at her in wonder. “You will?”

“Of course, my little moonbeam,” Rayla comforted, leaning in to give Sarai a kiss on her little forehead.

Sarai grew quiet, her eyes glancing down at the bed. Rayla recognized that look. It was the same look she had on her own face whenever something was bothering her.

“What is it, sweetie?” Rayla asked.

Sarai sniffled. “I - I’m sorry I’m not … as brave as you and Daddy.” 

Rayla felt her stomach drop. Her poor little girl thought she had disappointed them? She reached out and grabbed Sarai’s tiny five-fingered hands.

“Sarai, look at me,” Rayla said. The half-elf lifted her head, her eyes meeting her mother’s. “You _are_ a very brave little girl. But it’s okay to be a little scared sometimes. Everyone gets scared. Even Daddy and I.”

“R-really?”

“Of course, sweetie,” Rayla assured, “But being scared doesn’t mean you’re not brave. True bravery means you see your fears, face them, and …” She paused and looked back at Callum, who was listening intently and nodding along. “And trust in your loved ones to give you help and support when you need it. Don’t ever feel like you need to hide your fears from us, Sarai. We love you and we’re always here to listen and help, if you want us to. Does that make sense?”

Sarai nodded, a soft smile forming on her face. “Yes, mommy.” She suddenly sprang forward and wrapped her arms around Rayla’s shoulders. “I love you.”

Rayla grinned. “I love you too, my little moonbeam.”

“Hey,” Callum protested, “What about me?”

Sarai faced her father, smiling widely. “I love you too, Daddy,” she giggled, leaning across Rayla to give Callum a hug.

“That’s better,” Callum laughed.

When Sarai pulled away, she glanced back at both of her parents a bit nervously, “I’m still a little bit scared,” she admitted, “I don’t wanna have that dream again.”

Before Rayla could say anything, Callum spoke up immediately. “Awww, well…” He shifted over and patted the space between him and Rayla. “We’ve got plenty of room here. Why don’t you stay with us tonight?”

Sarai’s face immediately brightened. She glanced back over at her mother. “Is that okay, Mommy?”

Rayla smirked, ruffling her daughter’s hair. “Oh, I suppose. Just for tonight.”

Sarai held up her stuffed animal. “Can Banthy sleep here too?”

Callum laughed. “Of course he can! C’mere.” 

“Yay!” Sarai exclaimed as she crawled over and settled in the space between her two parents. Callum and Rayla pulled up the blankets and tucked their daughter in.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Callum said, giving Sarai a kiss on the cheek.

“Sweet dreams,” Rayla added, as Callum leaned forward and blew out the candle.

Before long, their little girl was fast asleep, with Banthy tucked protectively under her chin. Rayla’s hand found Callum’s in the dark.

“Softy,” she whispered playfully.

“No fair,” he whined quietly, “You know I can’t resist. I gotta make sure my girls are safe and happy.” She could hear the tender smile in his voice.

Rayla shifted slightly, softly rubbing circles on her daughter’s back. “She is a very sweet girl,” she admitted.

“She is,” Callum said fondly. He reached past Sarai and laid his hand across Rayla’s stomach, running his fingers along the curve of her subtle bump. “I hope we’re just as lucky with the next one.”

Rayla smiled, her eyes fluttering shut at the comforting motion of Callum’s hand. “We will be,” she said, “I know we will be.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated. Let me know what you think!


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